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Trilateral cooperation between Japan, Russia and UNODC to support counter narcotics efforts of Afghanistan

November 12, 2018

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Afghanistan, Japan and the Russian Federation signed a declaration today, giving an overview of the past achievements and highlighting the new development of the Trilateral Cooperation between UNODC, Japan and Russia to support counter narcotics efforts of the Government of Afghanistan.

The successful partnership, which is contributing to enhancing the interdiction efforts and regional cooperation, has proven to be among good practices under the principle of common and shared responsibility for addressing and countering the world drug problem. This cooperation was initiated in September 2012 with the delivery of counter narcotics training provided to law enforcement officials from Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries of Central Asia, conducted at the All-Russian Advanced Training Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, or the “Domodedovo Training Centre” with the financial and technical support of Japan.

At the signing ceremony UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov said: “It is a much needed example of cooperation rooted in shared responsibility to address common challenges, and support Afghanistan and the wider region to confront drug threats to security, development and health. We look forward to further advancing UNODC’s work with you through the declaration we are signing today.”

The Trilateral Cooperation is further expanding with the recent launch of the new project on the establishment of a counter narcotics canine (K9) unit in Afghanistan in October 2018. The first activity of the K9 project commenced with a training course for the administrative staff of the future unit to be established in Kabul, which was conducted at the Rostov Dog Training School for Operations and Search Activity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation with the financial support of Japan.

Ambassador Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel, the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations in Vienna, highlighted that: “Establishing effective detection tools, such as the highly specialized canine (K9) Unit, will greatly enhance law enforcement interventions and interdiction efforts in Afghanistan. Afghanistan greatly appreciates this generous support.”